By Jason Lee
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Promising young officers who performed well during the Officer Cadet School (OCS) training course can now apply for a new scholarship award that was introduced recently by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Under the Singapore Merit Scholarship (Home Uniformed Service) or SMS (HUS)for short, the Ministry of Home Affairs gives successful applicants the opportunity to study at an overseas university of their choice.
Successful applicants can opt to major in most disciplines except medicine, dentistry and architecture and will be paid a monthly salary for the duration of their studies.
On completing their studies, they will pursue a career with one of the departments under the HUS, including the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Prison Service and the Central Narcotics Bureau.
Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr K. Shanmugam, on announcing the new scholarship at the HUS Scholarships Cum HOME Awards Presentation Ceremony on 23 August 2010, said: “The Home Team’s mission is to safeguard Singapore, our home, and ensure that we have the peace and security for Singapore to develop and grow. To achieve our mission, the Home Team needs our fair share of talent; strong-spirited youths with the desire to serve and contribute to Singapore’s safety and security.”
The first recipient of the inaugural award is Mr Elton Yeo Shi Yuan.
He had done well in OCS and had held the appointment of Company 2I/C in Basic Military Training Centre 3.
Mr Yeo has since headed to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States where he is now reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Upon graduation, the alumnus of Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College will join the SPF, where he feels he can contribute meaningfully
to the safety and security of Singapore.
“To be a part of the team which directly looks after the security of our nation is an immense privilege and honour. The assurance of safety in our streets every day serves as the bedrock for our strong and steady economy by allowing our people to strive for their goals with peace of mind and focus,” Mr Yeo said.
“Being a safe and secure country also draws foreign investors and tourists alike, further establishing our place on the world map,” the 20-year-old added.
With the introduction of the SMS (HUS), the Ministry now has four scholarship awards for undergraduate studies.
The other scholarship awards are the Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship (SPFOS) and Singapore Government Scholarship (SGS-HUS)for overseas studies; and the Local Merit Scholarship (LMS-HUS) for local studies.
Two SGS (HUS) and five LMS (HUS) scholarships were awarded at the HUS Scholarships Cum HOME Awards Presentation Ceremony on 23 August 2010.
Receiving the Home Team Merit Award (Polytechnic), or HOME Award (Polytechnic) in 2010 are 10 polytechnic students.
Introduced last year, the award sponsors successful applicants for a three-year full-time local diploma course and includes the payment of tuition fees and a monthly allowance. The recipients will embark on a career with one of the Home Team agencies of their choice upon graduation.
Meanwhile, serving officers can look forward to a new programme which offers them more opportunities to upgrade academically.
Under the new Full-Time Degree Sponsorship Programme, eligible officers will be given half pay leave to pursue a degree in any of the local universities, the Singapore Institute of Management, or at overseas universities.
This programme is in addition to the existing Continuous Education Programme and Home Affairs Learning and Opportunities (HALO) scheme.
Mr Shanmugam, who had announced the new programme, said: “Many of our younger officers with diploma qualifications, who joined us as Junior Officers, aspire to have a university degree. With more diploma holders being recruited as Junior Officers and moving up in their careers, MHA will provide more academic upgrading opportunities for our officers. With these schemes in place, MHA targets to sponsor up to 20% of our annual Diploma entry Junior Officer cohort for a degree programme under these various schemes.”
About the Singapore Merit Scholarship (Home Uniformed Service)
Value of SMS (HUS)
• Tuition and other approved fees
• Monthly Overseas Maintenance Allowance
• Monthly Salary for the duration of their studies
• Pre-Studies Allowance
• Return Economy Class Airfare (for overseas studies and Vacation Attachment in Singapore)
• Sponsorship for Exchange Programmes and Masters (if requirements are met)
Eligibility
• Singapore Citizens / PR with intention of taking up Citizenship
• Strong leadership qualities; Good CCA record
• Keen interest in a career with the Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS)
• GCE ‘A’ levels (at least 11 academic units), International Baccalaureate (IB), Polytechnic Diploma (with Merit) or equivalent
• Candidates should excel in Officer Cadet School (OCS)
Course/Country of Studies
Most countries and disciplines (except medicine, dentistry and architecture). Applicants
pursuing a degree in Law will not be called to the Bar while serving in the Home Team.
Bond
6 years (English speaking countries) or 5 years (non-English speaking countries) starting from the day they assume duty after completing their course of study.
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"To be a part of the team which directly looks after the security of our nation is an immense privilege and honour. The assurance of safety in our streets every day serves as the bedrock for our strong and steady economy by allowing our people to strive for their goals with peace of mind and focus.”
- Mr Elton Yeo Shi Yuan, recipient of the Singapore Merit Scholarship (Home Uniformed Service), on what motivated him to join the Home Team
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